“Everything should be as simple as possible, but not simpler.” -Albert Einstein
What does it mean?
Too often, we unnecessarily complicate things. We explain something to another person, and give them way more detail than they needed. They get overwhelmed with all those details, and end up confused as to what’s important to know. We plan a vacation and end up putting too many details in the plan, making it cumbersome rather than adventurous and fun. We give someone directions to a destination and add a dozen extra details about who lives in the houses they’ll pass, and they forget the important turns and streets.
Simpler is better. Simple allows the person to focus on key aspects of the topic. Details can come later.
But there’s also a problem – eliminate too many details, and the thing becomes incomplete. Those directions to your house? They don’t work if you eliminate the left turn onto Perry Street. The vacation doesn’t work if your plan doesn’t have the time to arrive at the airport. It’s critical to have enough details.
What should I take from this quote?
Ask someone you know if you give good details. They might say you run on and on with too many irrelevant details and need to be more focused. Or they might say that you leave people confused because you don’t give enough detail.
In either case, practice! Your ability to relay info to other people depends on this skill. Try giving directions from your house to a restaurant. Repeat it until you have it down to the minimum details. You’ll just need a good friend to give you honest feedback along the way!
Here are the keys to sharing something with another person: Keep the details to a minimum; you can add more later. Boil things down to their foundation. Focus on the essential parts of an idea.
This also helps with memory. Knowing the simplest parts of an idea makes it easier to remember – for yourself, and anyone you share it with!
What’s not-so-great about this quote?
This is a heavy quote. It takes a lot of practice to get good at it. We all get tempted to add too many details to things when we share them. As well, we can forget to share enough details with others because we know the detail so well that we think it’s obvious.
But it’s worth it! The better you can communicate your ideas with others, the more places life can take you. Put in the time and energy!